Upcoming Events

BC Wildlife Federation and the Ministry of Forest, Lands and Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development are partnering on a large-scale Ungulate Winter Range Habitat Improvement project near Newgate, BC on a Provincial Conservation Property.

The restoration project will commence on Tuesday, November 13th with an open house on Saturday November 17th, where Tom Biebighauser and representatives from both FLNRORD and BCWF will be present to give tours of the area. Light refreshments will be served at the Quonset located on-site. Landowners and members of the surrounding communities are invited to attend.

The Earl Bar 40 Ranch is within the Ktunaxa territory and the Ktunaxa people camped in the area while hunting, fishing, and gathering traditional plants. In 1974, the Province of BC purchased the 408 hectare ranch from Gordon and Lorna Earl to manage with a primary focus of benefits to wildlife and designated it as a Conservation Land. The Conservation Land contains 82 hectares of seeded pasture land of which a 17-hectare field which was optimized for hay production has been selected for this ungulate winter range habitat improvement project. While historically a flourishing wetland ecosystem, the field was cultivated and farmed for many years. The land has been leveled, ditches have been dug to divert water away from the field, and the soil has been densely compacted through intensive agricultural activities. This area is a critical winter range for various ungulate species, including white tail and mule deer, elk, and moose, and several vulnerable or endangered species including Lewis’s woodpecker, Williamson’s sapsucker, Flammulated owl, Townsend’s big eared bat, great blue heron, badger, and painted turtles. A habitat improvement project has been designed a by the of the Ministry of Forests, Land, Natural Resource Operations & Rural Development (FLNRORD) with the aid of the Fish and Wildlife program and the BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF).

Winter range for elk, white-tailed deer, mule deer, and moose will be greatly improved by restoring a diversity of sedges, grasses, shrubs, and trees in this large, 17-hectare field historically modified for hay production. Land no longer being farmed will be restored to a mosaic of habitats designed to provide valuable winter foraging and sheltering habitat for ungulates. A system of drainage ditches will be filled and land surfaces reshaped to restore large areas of sedge meadow, shrub-fen, and ephemeral wetlands. A sheet flow of water will be returned to the valley to moisten dry soils. A natural sub-irrigation regime will be restored to produce the desired diversity of plants. The watered plants will grow taller, greatly increasing the quantity and quality of food available to ungulates foraging in deep snow. Nine shallow-water ephemeral wetlands will be built to produce a diversity of aquatic plants that are high in sodium. These aquatic plants will provide important minerals to deer, elk, and moose.

A variety of native shrubs, grasses, and aquatic vegetation will be planted throughout the field. These plants will provide essential nutrients for the returning ungulate species, as well as provide habitat for amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates. Waterfowl and shorebirds will also flourish in this new environment. This restoration project will ultimately benefit a wide variety of both predator and prey species, which will in turn allow for increased wildlife viewing and hunting opportunities that align with this Conservation Land management.

This project is funded by the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP). The FWCP is partnership between BC Hydro, the Province of B.C., Fisheries and Oceans Canada, First Nations, and public stakeholders to conserve and enhance fish and wildlife in watersheds impacted by BC Hydro dams.

Directions to the site (it will take approximately 1hr and 16min (102 km):

Head south east of Cranbrook on hwy 93 towards Jaffray for approximately 38 min- 55 km

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Fall Harvest Celebration

The Fall Harvest Celebration is the BC Wildlife Federation’s first annual cocktail event held at the Fraser River Discovery Centre, a modern museum featuring hands-on educational exhibits about the Fraser River and its history.

Join us for wild eats, local craft brew, guest chefs, live and silent auctions, inspiring speakers, live entertainment and more. All proceeds raised through this event will go towards supporting the heart of the Fraser initiative. The Fraser River is a significant habitat for several species and we need YOUR help to ensure its preservation for future generations!

Wild Kidz is a child’s first step into the BCWF’s Youth Program and aimed at youths aged 9-12. Each camp shares base programming such as shelter-building, fire-building, orienteering (compass work), and outdoor education (e.g. bear-aware and hug-a-tree programs) combined with a small science curriculum each year.

Go Wild! Youth for Conservation is a 5-6 day leadership day camp with a focus on conservation. Aimed at youths aged 13-17, Go Wild incorporates some of base outdoor education programming (e.g. shelter- and fire-building) but primarily provides workshops on leadership and conservation